AUTOPROMOTEC’25 INTERVIEW WITH RENZO SERVADEI

We interviewed Mr. Renzo Servadei, Chairman of the Board at Autopromotec, about the upcoming 2025 edition of the fair and its significance for the automotive industry.

1. 1. Autopromotec has an important place in the automotive aftermarket industry with its 60-year history. What innovations await visitors and exhibitors at the 2025 fair?

One of the leitmotifs of Autopromotec concerns Artificial Intelligence. When one speaks of AI, one should not think of some distant and inaccessible world, but rather it is a technology that allows technological innovations to be designed in an extremely shorter timeframe and through the use of fewer resources. This means that in all sectors, technological evolution is extremely accelerated, not only in the areas that deal with new power supplies, but mainly in all those areas that have to do with connectivity. Level 3 autonomous driving vehicles are appearing and, at least in Italy, but also in other parts of the world, the adoption of ADAS is now mandatory. This means that maintenance has to acquire important skills not only in the mechanical and electronic part, as was the case in the past, but also in the software one.

1. 2. How is the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles impacting the automotive aftermarket? What kind of content do you offer at the fair for this change?

We would first like to say that we as organizers adopt the perspective of technology neutrality. We only note that at the current rate of replacement, conventional thermal vehicles will continue to have a significant fleet for many years to come. Secondly, hybrid vehicles still have a thermal part. Finally, electric vehicles, apart from their different propulsion, have many similar elements to traditional vehicles. Bodywork, suspensions, control panels and so on. Furthermore, if some elements are no longer present, many others are being added, connectivity elements, recharging systems, new entertainment possibilities, so we believe that there are many more business opportunities, some of which have yet to be discovered. We have indeed planned a rich calendar of events for the next edition. There is already a list of dedicated conferences on the website, which you can already consult. Among institutional conferences, hosted meetings and technical sessions organized directly by the exhibitors we have about a hundred events, covering practically the entire automotive aftermarket sector. In times of connected cars, in fact, it is necessary to have skills even outside the traditional sector.

1. 3.Sustainability and green transformation are becoming increasingly important in the automotive world. What is the mission of Autopromotec in this regard?

We can only believe strongly in sustainability. Let us remember that the automotive sector is one of those in which the most important research has been carried out to reduce environmental impact, research and solutions that have then been applied in other sectors; an example for all is catalytic systems. Promotec, the company organizing the event, is already certified as a sustainable company and is actively working to obtain certification for the event as well. At the fair, we will have important exhibitors presenting their innovations in this field. In addition to the historical presence of tyre retreaders, we will also have companies that deal with the recovery, restoration and re-marketing of used and reconditioned components, a large area dedicated to engine reconditioning, and important conferences dealing with the evolution of the subject. An example of this is the sustainability-themed exhibition that ANFIA – Associazione Nazionale Filiera Italiana Automobilistica (National Association of the Italian Automotive Industry) will be presenting right at the entrance to the event.

1. 4.What kind of platform does the fair offer in terms of international exhibitors and collaborations? What opportunities can industry professionals find here?

One of the secrets of the event’s success is its international vocation. In Italy, in fact, we have the world’s largest concentration of equipment manufacturers who often export more than 90 per cent of their production. This attracts international buyers to Bologna, who in the various countries often distribute not only equipment but also components and spare parts. Added to this is the fact that AP has strong support from public institutions, which both through agencies and the various embassies, select and invite the most important international buyers to visit the exhibition. Finally, numerous international associations such as Figiefa and BIPAVER take the opportunity to organise their international meetings in Bologna. Let us not forget that the social basis of Autopromotec is associative: they are associations that dialogue directly with other associations, with the sole objective of promoting business. That is why we can anticipate that in 2025 we will reach and surpass the previous numbers.

1. 5.Looking to the future, what will be the biggest trends in the automotive aftermarket and service equipment industry? How should companies prepare for these changes?

It will certainly be necessary to create synergies among operators, both in terms of demand and supply. Connected cars and new mobility styles will, in fact, lead us more and more towards a need for predictive maintenance, and this requires, on the supply side, the networking of different skills, equipment, spare parts, logistics, and increasingly advanced software, and, on the demand side, the possibility of carrying out this type of operation in a widespread manner throughout the territory. Therefore, it is likely that car repair operators will increasingly tend to aggregate.

1. 6.Autopromotec offers its exhibitors not only an exhibition but also an information and networking platform. Can you tell us about the prominent conferences and panels this year?

The calendar of events that will populate the event days is already available on the website. Our aim has always been to make Autopromotec not only a showcase for products but also a place for meeting and discussion, which is why we will give voice and space to experts and professionals in the sector. We will talk about sustainability, connectivity, artificial intelligence and gender equity. We have divided the events into three macro-categories: we have the institutional ones, organized directly by Autopromotec, the hosted ones and finally all the technical sessions and demos that are organized by the exhibitors themselves and that in the vast majority of cases are held at the various stands. New technologies, in our opinion, should not just be studied, they should be seen in operation: it is essential to watch to understand how they work, and who better than the exhibitors themselves, the real main characters here, could demonstrate this?

1. 7.How are global supply chain issues and economic fluctuations impacting the automotive aftermarket? Will solutions to these issues be presented within the scope of the fair?

We all read the news about turbulence in the vehicle market. Certainly this cannot but be a source of concern, but at the same time we must remember that the aftermarket is often countercyclical to the production of new vehicles. If, in fact, the market for new vehicles shrinks for any reason, users will obviously have to continue to use old vehicles, which will then require maintenance. Several studies show that the aftermarket sector is extremely less volatile than the new vehicle market. This is why we consider the sector to be much more resilient. The trade fair will be a practical representation of the situation we have described.

1. 8.How are digitalization and artificial intelligence transforming after-sales services? How Autopromotec is taking part in developments in this area?

To give a banal example, it used to be that to change a windshield all you had to do was replace the glass, today you have to recalibrate all the control units connected to the sensors inside it. In the past, if a light went out, it was enough to change the bulb; today, with modern technology, it is necessary to carry out complex series operations. And the list could go on. It is therefore not an innovation, but a new way of approaching car repair, which follows in step with the evolution of the vehicle which, not by chance, is referred to as a ‘ Software Defined Vehicle ’. Participating in an exhibition like Autopromotec, therefore, is no longer an option, but becomes a real necessity if you want to keep up with the times, which are evolving much faster than in the past.

1. 9.Finally, it is expected that there will be many exhibitors and visitors from Turkish Automotive Industry. How do you see the existing bilateral trade between Italy and Turkiye and how do you foresee the future of Turkish Automotive Industry?

We know that Turkey is one of the main production hubs not only for vehicles but also for components and tyres, which many European car manufacturers draw on. This is the reason why we think that the synergies between the Turkish and Italian industries will be long-standing and will have further prospects as a function of the hypothesized further regionalization of automotive production, which will obviously also affect maintenance.

This concludes our interview with Mr. Renzo Servadei, Chairman of the Board at Autopromotec. We thank him for his valuable insights and look forward to Autopromotec 2025, where we are proud to participate as an official media partner.

Don’t miss out – get your ticket for Autopromotec 2025 here: